The first-ever West African Alternative Care Summit (WAACS 2025), held July 16-17 in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria, brought together more than 300 child welfare, government and ministry leaders.
Convened by orphan advocate and care transition coach Sandra Chikan with support from CAFO’s Africa Coach Ade Alowo, the event featured speakers and support from multiple organizations in the CAFO network, including: Back2Back Ministries, BEB Global, Christian Association of Youth Mentoring (CAYM), among others.
Chikan is the founder of Kingdom Kids Klub Nigeria and serves as the Vice President of the Northern Region of ASOHON (Association of Orphanages and Homes Operators in Nigeria), a member of the CAFO Global Network. She is also a graduate of CAFO’s Care Transition Accelerator Academy, a two-year program designed to train leaders to assist others in navigating care reform as they transition from orphanages to family-based care models around the world.
Through these experiences and more, Chikan has built critical relationships that paved the way for this first event, shaping the vision for care reform in 17 West African nations — one of the last regions in Africa to begin serious engagement of care reform for orphaned and vulnerable children, according to Chikan.
Chikan said many delegates talked about the disconnect between the government and childcare professionals in West Africa. While there are pockets of people talking about transitioning children from residential homes and orphanages to family care, it is uncoordinated and implementation is low — more like “policy on paper,” she added.
“Only one or two states in attendance [at WAACS] had some sort of care reform happening,” she said. “This was a wake-up call.”
“I just wanted to gather the village,” she said. “By identifying who’s doing what on the ground, it gives you an idea of the level of work and advocacy that is being done, so we can learn from one another and come up with a plan on next steps.”
Ade Olowo, Africa Coach for CAFO, said he was inspired by this and other collaborations beginning to take root between government leaders, churches and childcare providers, and many others in West Africa who are working to provide alternative care solutions like foster care, family empowerment programs and transition programs for youth.
“It was great to see CAFO members and leaders joining together in Nigeria,” he added. “It shows us the relationships being built will impact children and families for years to come in this region.”
Chikan said it’s these very relationships that make all the difference in shifting perspectives around how best to care for orphaned and vulnerable children moving forward. These relationships span communities, private NGOs, churches and government — all of which are necessary when it comes to shifting long-held cultural beliefs and creating lasting systems and change for children and families.
“When we all come together with one purpose, our voices will be louder and clearer,” Chikan said, adding, “With God, all things are possible.”
Images courtesy of DH Shallangwa studios at WAACS 2025.
